Growing up around Jervis Bay on the NSW South Coast, Lisa joined the Rural Fire Service at Sussex Inlet as a young teenager and volunteered there for several years.
Though always keen to help, she wasn’t sure whether to join the Mooroopna CFA when she moved to the area five years ago.
But that desire to pitch in for her community reigned supreme, as volunteering became a part of Lisa’s life again.
“I was going back and forth, maybe I want to, maybe I don’t,” she said.
“And then I was like, ‘Yeah, I do want to help out,’ so I joined up.”
Lisa and seven other new volunteers have signed on with Mooroopna CFA over the past 12 months.
She has now completed her general firefighting training and can jump on the truck whenever she’s available to do so.
Volunteers at the Mooroopna station train almost every Monday, with an additional monthly Monday meeting, but the real commitment is being able to respond when a call comes in.
“The call comes at any time, day or night,” she said.
“If you’re available, you help, if you’re not available, you’re not.”
When a call does come in, volunteers head straight to the station, suit up and go out on the truck to do what they’ve been trained for.
Days away from the truck are spent working her day job and spending time with her children and family.
For Lisa, the appeal is just as much the people as it is the firefighting itself.
“I like to work as a team; I can work individually, but working as a team is great for me,” she said.
“Helping anyone out when they’re needed.
“They’re really like a second family.”
She said she had picked up plenty of practical skills since joining, but the biggest have been personal.
“I’ve learnt how to stand up for what I need myself, and that I’m not alone,” Lisa said.
Lisa is a part of a growing number of women lending a hand at CFA brigades across the region. She says for anyone considering volunteering, regardless of gender, the process is straightforward.
In addition to weekly training at the station, there are also online training modules, which can be completed in person for those that struggle with online learning.
“They [the CFA] are very accommodating and nice people to help you out,” she said.
As fire season approaches, Lisa’s message to the community is simple: be ready.
“Keep your lawns and gutters clean, make sure you’ve got your ‘go bag’ ready, and if you’re told to go, go, there’s no point waiting.”
For those interested in becoming a CFA volunteer, visit tinyurl.com/5eza9dk2 or head into your local station.
13°C